A Light in the Darkness
by ShadesofImagination
Summary: There are some things in life we hope to share with others we consider important to us. For Cloud, this includes a rather unusual walk along the beach, a story from the shores of Wutai, and a handful of stolen kisses. Clerith. One-shot. Complete.


_**This story was written for a friend of mine on tumblr after we looked at a reblogged post of something really interesting that happens with the ocean. This is my first real Clerith story and my first post in... ages. :)  
**_

_**The lore here is all done up by me. **_

_**Enjoy. **_

_**. . . .**_

_**A Light in the Darkness**_

_**. . . .**_

Sand, wind and sun- They'd come to the beach, for a vacation, to get away from the smog that still lingered around the ruins of Midgar and the sharp stench that clung to the cold walls of Edge.

They'd found it and, standing in the evening breeze, Cloud let out a soft sigh of relief.

His shoulders had begun to relax the second they'd left the city. It was hard, remaining in one place like that, despite how much he loved the church and the life they'd made there.

He just needed to get away and, thankfully, he hadn't had to do it alone.

"Someone looks serious."

The soft words made him smile and, without turning, he held out his hand. Familiar lines fit around his fingers, snug and comfortable like the gloves he continued to wear and he stepped forward, pulling her along.

"Just thinking," he murmured, dragging his feet through the warm sand.

"Oh, careful. I hear that's not always a good idea with you."

"Very funny."

"I thought it was."

The hand around his squeezed lightly and he couldn't help but laughing, shaking his head as he led her out toward the water.

"Close your eyes."

"...what? Why?"

Glancing back, he paused, his steps stalling at the bottom of a small hill, barely covering the water from their sight.

"Trust me."

There was a moment of silence before Aeith heaved a playful sight and waved a finger at him. "You better be nice, mister."

"Sure."

It was hard to keep a straight face for her sometimes, wanting to play along with her teasing but, when she tried to scold him, her hair loose around her shoulders, he bare feet looking tiny and pale in the sand, it was almost impossible.

A soft sound came from her and he had no doubts she knew exactly what he was thinking but he didn't mind, instead turning back to carefully lead her over the hill as she closed her eyes.

He led her down the slope, over the flat surface of the beach and, finally, to where the water just washed along the shore. In the distance the sun was just dipping behind the horizon, the last rays of the evening steadily growing dim and he moved to stand before her.

"Keep your eyes closed."

"I well I wasn't going t-"

A light kiss cut her off and he smiled against her lips when a small laugh left her.

"Just do it," he mumbled, closing the distance between them as his arms slid around her waist, hands coming to rest at the small of her back. "Few more minutes."

"What is this all about?"

"You'll see."

Glancing back, his smile widened when the waves moved in, washing over their feet and further up the beach. A soft glow began a few feet down the sand and he turned her around in his arms, pointing her to face it.

"In Wutai they worship the Sea Guardian, Leviathan. They say that, years ago, when Odin looked down on this tiny planet from his home in the stars, he saw a monster, crashing amongst the waters and washing over the lands."

Settling his hands over hers, he sighed, kissing the curve of her neck lightly.

"He slew the monster and watched as the water surrounding it filled with its blood. When Leviathan heard the cry, he rushed to the side of his mate but he was too late and her remains had crumbled, all that was remained turning to sea foam. Saddened, he spent days in the in the still water before, finally, he found himself on the shore, the sun beating down against his scales as his skin dried and he hoped for his heart to simply stop beating."

"This doesn't sound like a very nice story..."

Shaking his head, he nudged her forward. "Open your eyes."

A shocked gasp moved the air around them and, for a moment, he wished he could have seen her face.

"The water...?"

Her eyes were wide when she turned and Cloud laughed, unable to help himself. "It's plankton- bioluminescent. When the air hits it, it glows."

Her head tipped to the side and she glanced quickly between the water and his face, jumping slightly when she looked down and found the water around their feet glowing softly. "What about the story?"

"Right- when Leviathan woke he found Odin standing before him. Leviathan questioned him on his presence and asked that he be left in peace to die because his heart had been lost to the waves when his mate had withered away. Guilt consumed Odin and, for the first time, he found himself uttering an apology, something a God was seemingly above. But, he then told Leviathan that love, as painful as it could be, would never be so easily broken and explained that the balance of this planet had been in danger and, that though their love was wondrous and full, it was also a danger, something that was destined to never be."

Pausing, Cloud cleared his throat. "The people of Wutai worship Leviathan not because of his power but because of his strength of heart. They don't see him as above them, or love him for being so, but because he felt the same pain that we do and have... they see that, God or not, he's just as human as the rest of us. So, in times of war, famine, hunger... they don't pray for him to fix their problems, they pray for him to grant them the same strength that he found so that they can stand back up and step forward."

"And the blue water? Where does that fit?"

"It's said to be what the water looked like the night the blood of Leviathan's mate was spilled... they say the shores, every once in a while will run blue, lighting up the night sky and that if you look out to sea, you can see the head of a giant serpent staring down. Those lucky enough to look at it, to stand in the water and become one with his love and are said to find that same kind of connection. It's just... about love. It's Leviathan blessing the union you'll make one day and connections your heart will share."

Falling silent, he glanced out at the water, eyes darting down the shore.

He loved this. He'd seen it one other time and read about it more times than he could count and still...

He'd wanted to show her. He'd wanted to share this with her. It was magic, like all those things she'd talked about and, somehow, it'd ended up on a list of things he wanted to give her.

-this memory, it was important, if not to her than to him.

"Thank you."

The words were soft and he glanced back to her, his head tipping toward her hand when she cupped his cheek.

"Thank you," she repeated, brushing the pad of her thumb over his lips. "I- it's just... it's amazing."

Her smile widened and a laugh bubbled up, out of her chest.

His own lips tipped up at the corners and he pulled her forward, burying his face in the soft curve of her neck. Pressing a light kiss to her skin and he sighed. "I love you."

"And I love you."

It'd taken a while, it wasn't conventional, but maybe... this was okay.

Maybe they were right and this blue water- plankton or myth- maybe it meant something. Maybe sharing it with her had been right and maybe... maybe he'd finally found what he'd been looking for -a light in the darkness.

**. . . .**

_**End**_


End file.
